Shipyard, deployment, and service events for this vessel documented in the public record — court filings, the ship’s deck logs, or the crew’s own cruise book (each entry cites its source). Dry-dockings, overhauls, and yard periods were when asbestos insulation was torn out and replaced, the peak-exposure work for the crew and yard workers aboard.
1962
Mooring / movement — Moored/underway, per the ship's deck log.
1963
Mooring / movement — Moored/underway, per the ship's deck log.
Derived from publicly filed asbestos-litigation records, ship’s deck logs, and the crew’s own cruise books. Historical service events; this does not constitute legal or medical advice.
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Service History
From the public Wikipedia / DANFS service-history record — source ›
USS Norris (DD-859) was a Gearing-class destroyer commissioned in June 1945 too late for WWII service. She saw extensive Cold War service including Korean War gunfire support, Mediterranean Fleet deployments, Cuban Missile Crisis patrol duties, and Vietnam War operations before decommissioning in December 1970. The vessel was subsequently transferred to the Turkish Navy in 1974 and served as TCG Kocatepe until scrapping in 1994.
Construction & Service Dates
Builder
Bethlehem Steel Corp., San Pedro, California
Laid down
1944-08-29
Commissioned
1945-06-09
Decommissioned
1970-12-04
Notable Tours / Service Eras
Post-WWII Pacific operations 1945-1948
Far Eastern patrol operations 1946-1948
Korean War 1950-1952
NATO Atlantic Fleet operations 1952-1958
Mediterranean/6th Fleet deployments 1950-1965
Cuban Missile Crisis 1962
Vietnam War 1966-1967
Cold War Atlantic and Mediterranean rotations 1968-1970
Combat Actions
Hŭngnam evacuation· 1950-12 gunfire support
Vũng Tàu engagement· 1966-11 fire support against Viet Cong
Home Ports & Forward Bases
Hong Kong — 1946
San Diego — home port 1947
Newport, Rhode Island — home port 1950-1970
Yokosuka — 1966
Drydock & Overhaul Periods
High Asbestos-Exposure Window
Mare Island Naval Shipyard· 1950 overhaul with anti-submarine enhancements
Boston Naval Shipyard· 1951 overhaul
Philadelphia Naval Shipyard· 1961 FRAM II conversion
Boston Naval Shipyard· 1963 wire-guided torpedo system installation
Asbestos rip-out, insulation replacement, and gasket-packing work occurred during these yard periods. Sailors aboard during overhauls had peak exposure to airborne asbestos fiber.
Notable Incidents
31 October 1954 collision with USS Bergall (SS-320) during fleet exercise
Final Disposition
Transferred to Turkey 1974; served as TCG Kocatepe D354; scrapped June 1994
Read the video transcript
Did you serve aboard the USS Norris? This destroyer carried asbestos in nearly every compartment. Here is where it was, and who is responsible. The USS Norris, hull number DD-859, was a destroyer, built by Bethlehem Steel Corp. and commissioned in 1945. She served through Post-WWII Pacific operations, Far Eastern patrol operations, and Korean War. Public naval references list this equipment aboard the USS Norris, DD-859 — insulated and sealed with asbestos. Each shipyard overhaul and major repair meant asbestos insulation was torn out and replaced — peak-exposure work for the yard workers and the crew aboard. Exposure was worst in the engineering spaces, where the snipes worked — but asbestos lined the whole ship, so all hands were exposed. The companies that made the asbestos equipment aboard — not the Navy — are who asbestos claims are brought against. According to asbestos litigation records, the equipment aboard the USS Norris from makers such as Babcock and Wilcox, General Electric, Westinghouse, and DeLaval allegedly contained asbestos. If you served aboard the USS Norris and were later diagnosed with mesothelioma, asbestosis, or another asbestos-related disease, you may have a legal claim against the companies that made the asbestos products used aboard your ship. This is educational information from an independent publisher — not a law firm — and is not legal advice.
USS Norris (DD-859) was a Gearing-class destroyer commissioned 9 June 1945 and serving the U.S. Navy through 1970 — Korean War operations and Cold War Atlantic Fleet service.
The 11-entry equipment manifest below is sourced from ship-specific BUSHIPS (Bureau of Ships) documentation identifying machinery and equipment installed aboard. Each entry is documented equipment with verified manufacturer attribution — primary-source material for asbestos-exposure case development by Navy veterans and surviving families.
Equipment Manifest
Equipment Manifest — USS Norris (DD-859). 11 machinery/equipment entries identified through ship-specific BUSHIPS documentation. Manufacturers in bold link to documented asbestos-product history on AsbestosIndex.com.
The standard asbestos-containing materials installed throughout U.S. Navy destroyers of this era are documented to have included:
Pipe lagging and thermal insulation on main steam, feed-water, fuel-oil, condensate, and saltwater piping throughout machinery spaces
Boiler block insulation, refractory brick, and gun-blocks around the main boilers
Asbestos gaskets and braided packing in valves, flanges, pumps, condensers, heat exchangers, and turbine glands
Insulation jackets and removable lagging on main propulsion turbines, reduction gears, ship-service turbine generators, and forced-draft blowers
Sheet asbestos and Marinite panels as fire-stops, bulkhead insulation, and overhead insulation
Vinyl asbestos floor tile (VAT) in passageways, berthing, mess decks, and habitable compartments
Asbestos rope, wick, and tape in gland-seal applications throughout the engineering plant
Sailors in Boilerman, Machinist’s Mate, Engineman, Electrician’s Mate, Hull Maintenance Technician, Damage Controlman, and other engineering ratings worked routinely in spaces where these materials were installed, maintained, ripped out, and replaced.
VA Benefits for Norris Veterans
The Department of Veterans Affairs recognizes mesothelioma, asbestos-related lung cancer, asbestosis, and pleural disease as conditions that may be service-connected for Navy veterans with documented asbestos exposure. The Norris equipment manifest is direct documentary evidence of the asbestos-containing materials her crew worked around throughout her service life.
Parallel claims against the asbestos bankruptcy trust funds established by the manufacturers of these products are also available, and do not reduce VA compensation.
Equipment manifest derived from public-record BUSHIPS documentation specific to USS Norris (DD-859). Manufacturer attribution links to documented asbestos-product histories on AsbestosIndex.com where available. Editorial review applied per site standards.
AsbestosIndex™Product & Manufacturer Reference
The asbestos-containing products documented on U.S. Navy vessels and at shipyards are catalogued by manufacturer on AsbestosIndex. These records cross-reference which companies supplied which materials and to which facilities.
Documented Asbestos-Exposure Environments — U.S. Navy Service
Public-domain U.S. Navy photographs illustrating the engineering spaces, ratings, and yard environments where asbestos materials were routinely encountered during normal duty.
All images are public domain (U.S. Government works). Specific photographs depict generic Navy engineering and yard environments — not the named vessel above. Asbestos materials shown or implied include pipe lagging, boiler insulation, steam-line covering, and gasket / packing materials standard on U.S. Navy vessels through the early 1980s.
Norris DD-859 — Frequently Asked Questions
Are Norris DD-859 veterans covered by Navy asbestos litigation records?
Yes. Norris DD-859 is documented in the public U.S. Navy asbestos litigation record. U.S. Navy vessels of her service era were built to BUSHIPS specifications that required asbestos insulation throughout engineering spaces, on steam lines, around boilers and turbines, and in gasket and packing materials.
Which shipboard components on Norris DD-859 contained asbestos?
Asbestos-containing materials documented aboard U.S. Navy vessels of Norris DD-859's era include: boiler insulation and lagging, steam-line pipe insulation, turbine and reduction-gear casings, valve packing, gaskets, brake and clutch friction materials, electrical wire insulation, overhead pipe coverings in berthing and mess spaces, and Navy-issue boiler cement and refractory in fireboxes.
What ratings were exposed to asbestos serving on Norris DD-859?
Navy ratings with the highest documented asbestos exposure include Machinist's Mate (MM), Boiler Technician (BT), Hull Maintenance Technician (HT), Engineman (EN), Electrician's Mate (EM), Interior Communications Electrician (IC), Damage Controlman (DC), and Pipefitter / Shipfitter. Officers in engineering departments also encountered asbestos in normal duty. Shipyard workers performing overhaul, repair, or refit work had concentrated exposure during yard periods.
What equipment manufacturers are documented on Norris DD-859?
Documented equipment manufacturers aboard Norris DD-859 include: Babcock & Wilcox, Curtis Manufacturing Company, DeLaval, General Electric, Leslie, Walker Electric, Westinghouse. These manufacturers supplied boilers, turbines, pumps, valves, electrical equipment, and insulation systems through BUSHIPS contracts during the asbestos era.
Do Norris DD-859 veterans qualify for VA disability for mesothelioma?
Potentially. VA evaluates asbestos-related disability claims individually. Norris DD-859 veterans generally need medical records showing the current disease, service records supporting in-service asbestos exposure, and a doctor's statement connecting the two. Veterans may file at VA.gov, call 1-800-827-1000, or seek free help from an accredited Veterans Service Organization such as DAV, VFW, or the American Legion.
Disclaimer: The information in this article is for general educational purposes only and does not constitute medical or legal advice. No attorney-client relationship is created by reading this site. References to ships, shipyards, companies, products, and asbestos-containing materials are drawn from public VA records, NARA archives, EPA/OSHA databases, and public litigation records. All references reflect what has been documented or alleged in publicly filed records. Consult a licensed physician for medical guidance and a qualified attorney for legal advice regarding your specific situation.
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